This article deals with so-called "core" utilities on a GNU/Linux system, such as '''less''', '''ls''', and '''grep'''. The scope of this article includes -- ''but is not limited to'' -- those utilities included with the GNU {{Package Official|coreutils}} package. What follows are various tips and tricks and other helpful information related to these utilities. If sections grow too detailed, please split into separate articles.

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==alias==

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This article deals with so-called "core" utilities on a GNU/Linux system, such as '''less''', '''ls''', and '''grep'''. The scope of this article includes -- ''but is not limited to'' -- those utilities included with the GNU {{Pkg|coreutils}} package. What follows are various tips and tricks and other helpful information related to these utilities. If sections grow too detailed, please split into separate articles.

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[[Wikipedia:alias|alias]] is a command in various shells, such as [[Bash]], which enables a replacement of a word with another string. It is often used for abbreviating a system command, or for adding default arguments to a regularly used command.

An example excerpt from {{Filename|~/.bashrc}} covering several time-saving aliases:

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{{File

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|name=~/.bashrc

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|content=<nowiki>

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# modified commands

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alias diff='colordiff' # requires colordiff package

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alias grep='grep --color=auto'

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alias more='less'

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alias df='df -h'

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alias du='du -c -h'

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alias mkdir='mkdir -p -v'

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alias nano='nano -w'

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alias ping='ping -c 5'

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alias ..='cd ..'

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# new commands

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alias da='date "+%A, %B %d, %Y [%T]"'

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alias du1='du --max-depth=1'

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alias hist='history | grep $1' # requires an argument

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alias openports='netstat --all --numeric --programs --inet'

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alias pg='ps -Af | grep $1' # requires an argument

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# privileged access

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if [ $UID -ne 0 ]; then

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alias sudo='sudo '

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alias scat='sudo cat'

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alias svim='sudo vim'

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alias root='sudo su'

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alias reboot='sudo reboot'

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alias halt='sudo halt'

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alias update='sudo pacman -Su'

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alias netcfg='sudo netcfg2'

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fi

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# ls

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alias ls='ls -hF --color=always'

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alias lr='ls -R' # recursive ls

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alias ll='ls -l'

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alias la='ll -A'

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alias lx='ll -BX' # sort by extension

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alias lz='ll -rS' # sort by size

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alias lt='ll -rt' # sort by date

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alias lm='la | more'

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# safety features

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alias cp='cp -i'

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alias mv='mv -i'

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alias rm='rm -I' # 'rm -i' prompts for every file

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alias ln='ln -i'

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alias chown='chown --preserve-root'

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alias chmod='chmod --preserve-root'

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alias chgrp='chgrp --preserve-root'

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</nowiki>}}

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==extract==

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The following function will extract a wide range of compressed file types. Add the function to {{Filename|~/.bashrc}} and use it with the syntax {{Codeline|extract <file1> <file2> ...}}

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{{File

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|name=~/.bashrc

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|content=<nowiki>

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extract() {

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local c e i

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(($#)) || return

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for i; do

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c=''

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e=1

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if [[ ! -r $i ]]; then

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echo "$0: file is unreadable: \`$i'" >&2

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continue

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fi

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case $i in

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*.t@(gz|lz|xz|b@(2|z?(2))|a@(z|r?(.@(Z|bz?(2)|gz|lzma|xz)))))

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c='bsdtar xvf';;

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*.7z) c='7z x';;

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*.Z) c='uncompress';;

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*.bz2) c='bunzip2';;

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*.exe) c='cabextract';;

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*.gz) c='gunzip';;

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*.rar) c='unrar x';;

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*.xz) c='unxz';;

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*.zip) c='unzip';;

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*) echo "$0: unrecognized file extension: \`$i'" >&2

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continue;;

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esac

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command $c "$i"

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e=$?

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done

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return $e

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}

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</nowiki>}}

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{{note|[[Bash]] users should make sure extglob is enabled: {{codeline|shopt -s extglob}}. It is enabled by default if using [[Bash#Advanced completion|Bash completion]]. [[Zsh]] users should do: {{codeline|setopt kshglob}} instead.}}

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Another way to do this is to install ''unp'' package.

==grep==

==grep==

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[[Wikipedia:grep|grep]] is a command line text search utility originally written for Unix. The {{codeline|grep}} command searches files or standard input globally for lines matching a given regular expression, and prints them to the program's standard output.

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[[Wikipedia:grep|grep]] is a command line text search utility originally written for Unix. The {{ic|grep}} command searches files or standard input globally for lines matching a given regular expression, and prints them to the program's standard output.

To use the default colors for grep, write the following entry to {{ic|~/.bashrc}}:

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export GREP_COLOR="1;33"

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alias grep='grep --color=auto'

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alias grep='grep --color=auto'

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Alternatively, you can set the {{ic|GREP_OPTIONS}} [[Environment Variables|environment variable]] [http://www.gnu.org/software/grep/manual/html_node/Environment-Variables.html] bearing in mind this may break some scripts that use {{ic|grep}} [http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/24141/]:

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export GREP_OPTIONS='--color=auto'

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To include file line numbers in the output, add "''-n''":

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alias grep='grep -n --color=auto'

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The variable {{codeline|GREP_COLOR}} is used to specify the output color, in this example a light yellow color.

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The environment variable {{ic|GREP_COLORS}} may be used to specify different colors than the defaults.

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Although {{codeline|grep}}'s [[man page]] states that {{codeline|GREP_COLOR}} is deprecated and that {{codeline|GREP_COLORS}} is preferable, this variable does not work as of {{Package Official|grep}} version 2.5.4, so use {{codeline|GREP_COLOR}} for now.

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==less==

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[[Wikipedia:less (Unix)|less]] is a terminal pager program used to view the contents of a text file one screen at a time. Whilst similar to other pages such as {{ic|more}} and {{ic|pg}}, {{ic|less}} offers a more advanced interface and complete feature-set.[http://www.greenwoodsoftware.com/less/faq.html]

[[Wikipedia:less (Unix)|less]] is a terminal pager program used to view the contents of a text file one screen at a time. Whilst similar to other pages such as {{Codeline|more}} and {{Codeline|pg}}, {{Codeline|less}} offers a more advanced interface and complete feature-set.[http://www.greenwoodsoftware.com/less/faq.html]

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Then add these lines to your {{ic|~/.bashrc}}:

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export LESSOPEN="| /usr/bin/source-highlight-esc.sh %s"

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export LESS=' -R '

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Frequent users of the command line interface might want to install {{Package Official|lesspipe}}:

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Frequent users of the command line interface might want to install {{Pkg|lesspipe}}:

# pacman -S lesspipe

# pacman -S lesspipe

Users may now list the compressed files inside of an archive using their pager:

Users may now list the compressed files inside of an archive using their pager:

{{Codeline|lesspipe}} also grants {{Codeline|less}} the ability of interfacing with files other than archives; serving as an alternative for the specific command associated for that file-type (such as viewing HTML via {{Package Official|html2text}}).

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{{ic|lesspipe}} also grants {{ic|less}} the ability of interfacing with files other than archives; serving as an alternative for the specific command associated for that file-type (such as viewing HTML via {{Pkg|html2text}}).

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Re-login after installing {{Codeline|lesspipe}} in order to activate it, or source {{Filename|/etc/profile.d/lesspipe.sh}}.

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Re-login after installing {{ic|lesspipe}} in order to activate it, or source {{ic|/etc/profile.d/lesspipe.sh}}.

==ls==

==ls==

[[Wikipedia:ls|ls]] is a command to list files in Unix and Unix-like operating systems.

[[Wikipedia:ls|ls]] is a command to list files in Unix and Unix-like operating systems.

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Colored output can be enabled with a simple alias. File {{Filename|~/.bashrc}} should already have the following entry copied from {{Filename|/etc/skel/.bashrc}}:

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Colored output can be enabled with a simple alias. File {{ic|~/.bashrc}} should already have the following entry copied from {{ic|/etc/skel/.bashrc}}:

alias ls='ls --color=auto'

alias ls='ls --color=auto'

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The next step will further enhance the colored {{Codeline|ls}} output; for example, broken (orphan) symlinks will start showing in a red hue. Add the following to {{Filename|~/.bashrc}} and relogin, or source the file:

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The next step will further enhance the colored {{ic|ls}} output; for example, broken (orphan) symlinks will start showing in a red hue. Add the following to {{ic|~/.bashrc}} and relogin, or source the file:

This article deals with so-called "core" utilities on a GNU/Linux system, such as less, ls, and grep. The scope of this article includes -- but is not limited to -- those utilities included with the GNU coreutils package. What follows are various tips and tricks and other helpful information related to these utilities. If sections grow too detailed, please split into separate articles.

grep

grep is a command line text search utility originally written for Unix. The grep command searches files or standard input globally for lines matching a given regular expression, and prints them to the program's standard output.

The environment variable GREP_COLORS may be used to specify different colors than the defaults.

less

less is a terminal pager program used to view the contents of a text file one screen at a time. Whilst similar to other pages such as more and pg, less offers a more advanced interface and complete feature-set.[3]

You can enable code syntax coloring in less. First, install source-highlight.
Then add these lines to your ~/.bashrc:

lesspipe also grants less the ability of interfacing with files other than archives; serving as an alternative for the specific command associated for that file-type (such as viewing HTML via html2text).

Re-login after installing lesspipe in order to activate it, or source /etc/profile.d/lesspipe.sh.

ls

ls is a command to list files in Unix and Unix-like operating systems.

Colored output can be enabled with a simple alias. File ~/.bashrc should already have the following entry copied from /etc/skel/.bashrc:

alias ls='ls --color=auto'

The next step will further enhance the colored ls output; for example, broken (orphan) symlinks will start showing in a red hue. Add the following to ~/.bashrc and relogin, or source the file: